Role of Selenium and Vitamins E and B9 in the Alleviation of Bovine Mastitis during the Periparturient Period

Abstract

Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) commonly occurs in dairy cattle during the periparturient period (transition period), in which dairy cattle experience physiological and hormonal changes and severe negative energy balance, followed by oxidative stress. To maintain successful lactation and combat negative energy balance (NEB), excessive fat mobilization occurs, leading to overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Excessive fat mobilization also increases the concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) during the periparturient period. In addition, the excessive utilization of oxygen by cellular respiration in the mammary causes abnormal production of oxidative stress (OS). OS impairs the immunity and anti-inflammatory efficiency of periparturient dairy cattle, increasing their susceptibility to mastitis. To alleviate oxidative stress and subsequent mastitis, antioxidants are supplemented to dairy cattle from an external source. Extensive studies have been conducted on the supplementation of selenium (Se) and vitamins E and B9 to mitigate mastitis during the transition period in dairy cattle. Altogether, in the current review, we discuss the research development on bovine mastitis and its major causes, with special emphasis on oxidative stress during the transition period. Moreover, we discuss the antioxidant, immunoregulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties of Se and vitamins E and B9 and their role in the control of bovine mastitis in periparturient dairy cattle.

Sanguinarine Enhances the Integrity of the Blood–Milk Barrier and Inhibits Oxidative Stress in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Mastitis

“…mMECs are the first line of defense for contacting, recognizing, and responding to foreign microorganisms in the mammary glands, and their role is similar to that of sentinel cells [ 30 , 31 ]. The overproduction of ROS will lead to oxidative stress, which damages the immune and anti-inflammatory functions of dairy cows in the transition period [ 16 ]. Moreover, the antioxidant enzymes, such as SOD and GSH-Px, play key roles in the antioxidant defense system of dairy cows [ 32 ].…”

“…LPS can destroy tight junction proteins after causing mastitis, leading to the degradation of the barrier, invasion of harmful substances and microorganisms, and aggravation of oxidative stress [ 15 ]. Oxidative stress in early-lactation cows exerts an important role in dysfunctional inflammatory response [ 16 ]. Therefore, it is particularly important to protect the integrity of the blood–milk barrier and suppress the pathogenic bacteria leading to excessive inflammatory response.…”

Exosomes in Mastitis—Research Status, Opportunities, and Challenges

“…Selenium is an essential trace element in the body and exhibits various physiological functions, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Many clinical and basic studies have shown that selenium may relieve bovine mastitis by inhibiting the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways or activating NRF2 [ 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 ]. To further explore the molecular mechanism by which selenium alleviates mastitis, Jing et al analyzed the effect of selenium on exosomal RNA derived from MAC-T cells and determined the mRNA levels in exosomes derived from selenium-pretreated normal cells and from cells that had been infected with S. aureus [ 97 ].…”

Overview of the effect of rumen-protected limiting amino acids (methionine and lysine) and choline on the immunity, antioxidative, and inflammatory status of periparturient ruminants

“…Metabolic stress during the periparturient period is another key factor that exposes animals to immune depression, abnormal regulation of the inflammatory response, and oxidative stress. During the periparturient period, metabolic stress causes excessive mobilization of lipids followed by oxidative stress ( 10 ). The oxidative stress compromises the immunity and inflammatory status in dairy cattle, as shown in Figure 1 .…”